Primrose
by Name Changer
Summary: I'm not good w/summaries but...: This is a short story about a peasant and prince who fall in love with each other


Primrose  
  
  
  
By: Spirit_Saviour  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story (  
  
Read and review please!  
  
  
  
Once upon a time, there lived a lovely young maiden called Primrose. She was very poor, hard working, and loved to sing. Though many of the town villagers commented upon her beauty frequently, her humbleness caused her to hide her face behind a veil -such modesty!  
  
  
  
Then one day, a king's son happened to come by the village and spot the veiled girl. Burning with curiosity, he was determined to see the beauty that the baker's son had talked constantly about. So the next day, he sent a servant to her cottage with a golden ring and a message that requested her presence at sunset beneath the Great Oak tree.  
  
  
  
Thinking to herself that those in the palace were going to give her some work to do, Primrose strolled over to the oak, waiting underneath the shade of the sparkling emerald leaves. When the prince saw her without her veil, he was instantly entranced by her loveliness and by the end of the day, he declared that he would take her off to the royal castle without delay- and marry her. But Primrose refused to go with him, telling him that she was but a poor girl, and that his father would surely be angry to know whom he had chosen for a bride.  
  
  
  
The prince was shocked at such an answer. Why would someone rather live in an old decayed hovel rather then in a white marble palace? Distressed at the prince's broken heart, Primrose told him that she should have at least a few days to consider his offer, and unwillingly, the prince agreed.  
  
  
  
Soon afterwards, a servant was sent to her cottage with a pair of silver shoes and a message that she was to meet the youth (prince) again underneath the Great Oak. She went to the tree, but when the prince asked her for her hand in marriage the second time, the girl refused. And when the prince had a golden gown sent to her as a present, she did not even go to the tree the next morning, afraid that the king would find out.  
  
  
  
Despite Primrose's efforts, the father did indeed hear of his son's meetings with a poor peasant girl. His anger was truly great, because he had chosen the daughter of a powerful neighboring kingdom to marry his heir. Storming out of the castle, the king ordered his soldiers to burn down the roof of the peasant's house over her own head. The command was soon fulfilled.  
  
  
  
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Flames surrounded her and Primrose woke with a start. She had been busily sewing with her beloved songbird and had fallen asleep. Running to the door, she saw that the cottage was surrounded by the king's soldiers. So, without further ado, she took her songbird and leapt straight from the window into an old well. There she lay hidden for many days, crying her eyes out with grief- devastated at the loss of her shelter and the thought of never seeing the prince again. But in the end, she gathered her senses, dressed herself in boy's clothes, and set off for the royal castle to ask to be taken into service.  
  
  
  
Primrose at once caught the king's eye and was asked her name. The girl, with sorrow in her eyes, replied that she went by the name Misfortune. His royal majesty wasn't pleased at this, but when he overheard "Misfortune" and "his" songbird sing a song so beautiful yet so sad, the king's heart was moved and he immediately took the boy into his service, treating Primrose like he would a son.  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~-~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
When the cheerless prince got word that Primrose had gone up in flames with her cottage, it was a wonder that his heart did not break, such was his grief. Then one day, the king decided that his son's wedding with the princess should not have been delayed any longer. So, setting off with his entire court in a magnificent procession, the king marched to the neighboring kingdom.  
  
  
  
At the rear of the royal train was none other then Primrose in her page's dress! She felt very melancholy, so to comfort herself, she began to sing: "For Misfortune, Prince, to wear, tie a primrose in my hair…" Hearing such an unhappy song, the prince was unable to resist the plaintive refrain, plucked from the wayside a primrose, and rode up to the page. He at once recognized his gold ring, gleaming on the girl's finger, and instantly knew that she was his chosen love. Smiling to himself, he said nothing and rode back to his father.  
  
  
  
When everyone had taken their seats for a great feast at the palace of the neighboring king, the host desired the telling of riddles. The prince was not slow to pose one and said, "Sire, in my castle I have a golden casket, from which I lost the key. They promised to make me a new one, but now I have found the old. Tell me, my lord, which key should I keep – the old or the new?"  
  
  
  
"Why, the old, of course," replied the king.  
  
  
  
The prince suddenly stood up and walked over to Primrose. He took her hand, and proclaimed, "You yourself have decided the matter, my lord! I cannot marry your daughter. For here is the key which I lost, and have found again."  
  
  
  
Heads turned and when all had seen the lovely Primrose and heard her tale, anger was forgotten, and a magnificent wedding was prepared. The celebrations were soon over and the prince returned to his palace with his happy bride. As for the prince's king, he asked for Primrose's forgiveness and happily lived the rest of his life with his grandchildren.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
AN: Hello! I wanted to actually establish a completed story, so I did this short thing. I hope you enjoyed it, and please R&R. 


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